


With Us Or Against Us

by MissTantabis



Category: Will (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M, Oneshot, kind of follow up, takes place before Robert leaves England
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 02:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14251371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissTantabis/pseuds/MissTantabis
Summary: In a stormy night, Robert welcomes an unexpected visitor. Somebody he had not expected to see again.





	With Us Or Against Us

“I hadn’t expected for you to come back.” Robert Southwell was slowly pouring water into jugs. Marlowe could feel himself shivering from the cold outside. Rain hit against the window outside. It was a dark and stormy night.

“I hadn’t either.” The poet sneezed. He clutched his hands into his shoulders. The golden hair had turned dark brown, almost black from the rain. The water soaked his clothing. It was not the first time, Marlowe walked through rain. He found comfort and inspiration in this cold, damp solitude.

However now he had not seeked any of this solitude. Now more pressing manners were at hand.

Robert looked at him. His brown eyes became warm in pity. “For God’s sake”, he whispered, “Kit, get these wet clothes off. You will catch your death otherwise.” He walked over to a shelf and pulled out a clean, marroon shirt and brown trousers. “You can wear things from me.”

“Thanks.” Kit carefully peeled himself out of his leather vest. It landed on the floor with a dull thud. Half rising, the warm light of the fireplace fell upon his bare skin. It turned flesh into flaming bronze, upon which his tattoos were like a play of liquid ink.

As Kit rose, he noticed how Robert stared at the black heart with the butterfly upon the left side of his chest. Did the priest just swallow? The young poet pulled his lips into a brief, teasing smile: “Do you like what you see? Isn’t this a sight forbidden for people of thy belief? Isn’t it the biggest sin of all?”

Robert turned his face away, caught. He grabbed the dry clothing and offered them to Kit. “It is the sin of humanity, Kit. The sin, we be all capable of commiting. It goes against nature and order. It is more then just a religious sin, Kit. It is a political as well. That’s what makes thy act so dangerous.”

Marlowe took the offered clothing and slowly began to pull them over his head. “Is it such a shame to be, who I am? I’ve committed no crime.” KIt’s legs kicked playfully as he fought them down the brown leather trouser. “I’ve committed no murder. I did not steal. I did not dishonour my parents. Aren’t those far greater crimes according to thee?”

Robert briefly looked at him. “Will told me, how you practiced blasphemy. How you” - his look hardened and he bit his lips as he forced the next words through - “called Mary a whore, Jesus a gambler and that he has been losing his virginity through the Holy Ghost.”

Marlowe rose his shoulders. “It is what happens when yall take the bible literally like protestants do.”

Robert rose his shoulders and turned towards him. “Whose side are you on, Kit? I know you’re a spy. It were probably thy actions that in part saved my life. And that of Alice and my dearest cousin. But still, whose side are you on? In this fight, there are only two options. You are either with us or against us. So how is it with thee?”

KIt approached the bookshelf, where the bible leaned. He rose his hand and caressed the heavy book with slender fingers. Back towards Southwell, Marlowe explained: “I have my own way how believing works for me. For the bible does not give me the answers I seek. Not if I read it how I read every text. That makes me be against you.”

Kit turned his head around and gazed at Robert. “However peoplewise I am entirely on your side. Like you said it: I am a spy. I saw firsthand what Toppclife can do. And even though he no longer holds his position, he still remains an influential threat if merely through fear. Nobody should be tortured for staying through their cores of values.”

“Belief”, corrected Robert.

“Call it value! Call it belief! Call it morals even! It is all the same to me.”

Kit turned around and slowly sauntered towards Robert. His brows rose and he was smiling. His voice sounded almost melodic as he purred: “So Robert Southwell, as you can see, the world never has just two options. There is always a third.” He halted inches away from the priest and gently laid a hand upon his chest. “I do not believe how you do, but I sympathise with the plight of Catholics. So I am against thee and with thee at the same time.”

Kit leaned closer and gently began to kiss Robert. His lips nipped against those plumb, large ones of the priest. He could feel the excited heartbeat through thin layers of clothing. And to his immense surprise, Robert wrapped his arms around his shoulders and kissed him back just as deeply.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comments keep me going.


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